Sir Topham Hatt
Sir Topham Hatt, nicknamed the "Fat Controller", previously the "Fat Director", is the manager of the North Western Railway. The Fat Controllers There have, in fact, been three controllers in charge of the North Western Railway: Sir Topham Hatt I (1880-1956) Mr. Topham Hatt was the engineer in charge of the construction of the Tidmouth, Knapford and Elsbridge Light Railway. When the job was finished he was made a director of the company, and after the Wellsworth and Suddery Railway was linked with the original line at Knapford he was elected a director of that company too. He was created a baronet for his services to the the railways of Sodor in 1948. He married Jane, sister of Mr. Handel Brown, and retired in 1954 in favor of his son Charles, whom the board had no hesitation in electing as his successor. Sir Charles Topham Hatt II (1914-1997) Sir Charles Topham Hatt was the Fat Controller from 1954 to 1984, when he retired in favour of his own son. During his period of office he began improvements to the harbour (harbor) at Knapford, planned by his father, and re-opened the Arlesburgh branch in 1965/6, being responsible for the construction of the Arlesdale Railway and for establishing the ballast consortium which uses it. He married Amanda Croarie in 1940 and they had two children - Stephen Topham, born in 1941, and Bridget, born in 1943. Charles inherited his father's baronetcy in 1956 and died thirteen years after his own retirement. Sir Stephen Topham Hatt III (1941-) Sir Stephen Topham Hatt (who first appeared in Toby the Tram Engine while on a family holiday in East Anglia with his parents and grandfather) became the Fat Controller in 1984, succeeding to his father's baronetcy in 1997. In 1970 he married Helen Margaret, a distant cousin and granddaughter of the Reverend Nicholas Dreswick, the much-respected historian of Sodor. They have three children: Richard Topham, born in 1972 and no doubt destined to be Sir Topham Hatt IV (his father will be 70 in 2011, though he has, as yet, given no hint of an impending retirement), Charles Nicholas (1974-) and Emily Helen (1977-). He played a part in arranging the construction of the Arlesdale Railway's new locomotive, Jock, in 1990, a project which had been dear to his father's heart. With great skill he masterminded the arrangements for the royal visit in 1995, when he welcomed the Prince of Wales on his first visit to Sodor. The Fat Controller in the television series In the television series, Sir Bertram Topham Hatt, a combination of the three from the Railway Series, runs the railway. He has a brother, Sir Lowham Hatt. Persona The Fat Controller is seen as a firm but fair character. Despite being strict, he shows a fatherly side to the engines. He is quite a strong character and will remind the engines that he is in charge when they start to rebel against his authority. He doesn't stand for bullying and even though he is usually serious, he does enjoy a laugh. Attire The Fat Controller is a small stout gentleman dressed in a black suit with gray trousers, a cream-coloured waistcoat, a black tie, and a top hat. He has thinning gray hair and blue eyes. Appearances Voice Actors * Kerry Shale (US; Hero of the Rails onwards) * Keith Wickham (UK; Hero of the Rails onwards) * Kōhei Miyauchi (Japan; first season - fourth season) * Takeshi Aono (Japan; fifth season - eighth season) * Rokuro Naya (Japan; ninth season onwards) Trivia * Due to political correctness, the Fat Controller is always known by his Sunday name of "Sir Topham Hatt" in the American narration of the television series. * The Fat Controller's TV model from Lady Hatt's Birthday Party was used in the 2009 "Children in Need" charity single. It was animated using stop-motion. Merchandise * ERTL (with a conductor and his wife; discontinued) * Wooden Railway * Take-Along (in car) * TOMY/TrackMaster * Bachmann * Bandai Tecs (in car) * My First Thomas * My Thomas Story Library * Brio (discontinued) Gallery Image:SirTophamHattII.jpg|Sir Charles Topham Hatt II File:OfftheRails14.jpg|The Fat Controller in his office File:TheSadStoryofHenry9.jpg|The Fat Controller in a passenger train File:TroublesomeTrucks16.png File:EdwardandtheMail13.jpg|The Fat Controller in his office File:TooHotforThomas3.jpg|The Fat Controller on holiday File:LadyHatt'sBirthdayParty8.jpg|The Fat Controller at his wife's birthday party File:LadyHatt'sBirthdayParty7.jpg File:LadyHatt'sBirthdayParty6.jpg File:JamesandtheExpress10.png|The Fat Controller blows a guard's whistle File:Thomas,PercyandtheDragon39.png File:GordonandtheFamousVisitor38.png|The Fat Controller and the Railway Society File:CallingAllEngines23.jpg|The Fat Controller holding some bananas File:Donald'sDuck29.png File:ABadDayforSirHandel36.png File:WhichWayNow11.png|Sir Topham with his wife and grandchildren File:TheFatControllerinChildreninNeed.jpg|The Fat Controller eating food in "Children in Need" File:WhistlesandSneezes5.jpg|The Fat Controller holds his ears File:Coal5.jpg|The Fat Controller in overalls File:TobyandtheStoutGentleman2.jpg|The Fat Controller with his family File:TheFatController.jpg|The Fat Controller at the buffet table Percy'sNewWhistle64.png File:Splish,Splash,Splosh!8.jpg File:DoubleTrouble24.png|The Fat Controller with Thomas, his brother, and his wife File:DoubleTrouble20.png|Sir Topham and his wife in CGI File:SteamySodor33.png File:SirTophamHatt(2010).jpg|Sir Topham Hatt on Thomas File:Henry'sMagicBox26.jpg|Sir Topham dressed as Santa Claus File:TheFatControllerlive.jpg|The Fat Controller in a live Thomas show Category:Humans Category:North Western Railway